Matsya Purana — The Strategy to Defeat Tāraka: Pārvatī’s Birth, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

रजनीचरनाथो ऽपि किं भीत इव भाषसे राक्षसेन्द्र क्षताराते त्वमरातिक्षतो यथा //

Transliteration

rajanīcaranātho 'pi kiṃ bhīta iva bhāṣase rākṣasendra kṣatārāte tvamarātikṣato yathā //

Translation

رات میں پھرنے والوں کے سردار ہو کر بھی تم خوف زدہ کی طرح کیوں بولتے ہو؟ اے راکشسوں کے راجا، اے دشمن کُش، تم گویا دشمنوں کے زخم خوردہ کی مانند گفتگو کرتے ہو۔

Word by Word

• rajanī-cara-nāthaḥ: lord of the night-roamers (Rākṣasas)

• api: even/though

• kim: why?

• bhītaḥ iva: as if frightened

• bhāṣase: you speak

• rākṣasa-indra: O king of Rākṣasas

• kṣata-arāte: O slayer of enemies (lit. 'one whose enemies are struck')

• tvam: you

• arāti-kṣataḥ: wounded/struck by enemies

• yathā: as/like

Speaker

• An opposing warrior/taunter addressing the Rākṣasa-king (contextual narrator-speech within the episode)

Entities Mentioned

• Rākṣasa (night-roamers)
• Rākṣasendra (king of Rākṣasas)

Tags

• Battle-dialogue
• Rākṣasas
• Heroic-taunt
• Puranic-narrative
• Kṣatriya-ethos

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about the creation or dissolution (Pralaya)?

Nothing directly—this verse is a martial taunt focused on fearlessness and reputation in battle, not on cosmology or Pralaya.

How does this verse relate to the duties of a King or Householder?

It reflects the Kṣatriya ideal expected of rulers and war-leaders: steadiness, courage, and speech consistent with one’s status—especially when commanding others.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

None is explicit; the verse belongs to narrative war-speech rather than Vastu Shastra, iconography, or ritual procedure.